1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an electric connecting box for mounting an electric component such as a relay and a fuse.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, a various electric connecting box is installed in for example an electric vehicle, including a hybrid car, for connecting electrically a battery and an inverter. The electric connecting box has a fuse, a relay and a bus bar, and is called as a junction block, a fuse block or a relay box.
The aforesaid electric connecting box includes an upper cover, a lower cover being mounted to the upper cover and a wiring board as a circuit unit to be received between the upper cover and the lower cover. An electric component, such as a fuse and a relay, is mounted on the upper cover. Then, the upper cover is provided with a junction terminal for connecting a terminal of the electric component and the wiring board. A connector coupling with a connector of a wire harness is mounted on the lower cover. The upper cover and the lower cover are formed into a box-shape by joining together.
The wiring board is received between the upper cover and the lower cover those are joined together as mentioned above. The wiring board connects electrically the terminal of the connector mounted on the lower cover and the terminal of the electric component mounted on the upper cover in accordance with a predetermined wiring pattern.
By mounting the connector on the lower cover, mounting the junction terminal on the upper cover, joining the upper cover and the lower cover so as to receive the wiring board, and mounting the aforesaid electric component on the upper cover, the electric connecting box is assembled.
Objects to be Solved
According to the aforesaid electric connecting box, when the electric component to be mounted on the upper cover would be enlarged, relatively large force for press-fitting the electric component on the upper cover is required to connect the terminal of the electric component and the junction terminal. It may make an operator load operator's weight on the electric component for mounting that on the upper cover. If the electric component is press-fitted on the upper cover by relatively large force, such as the operator's weight, the upper cover may be deformed so as to make a space between the upper cover and the lower cover narrower.
When the upper cover is deformed so as to make a space between the upper cover and the lower cover narrower, the upper cover may push the wiring board and bend the wiring board. Thereby, the wiring board as a circuit unit could not securely connect the terminals of the connector and the electric component in accordance with a predetermined wiring pattern because of unstable electrical connection.
When the upper cover is more deformed so as to make a space between the upper cover and the lower cover narrower, the upper cover may be broken in the worst case.
To overcome the above drawback, an object of this invention is to provide an electric connecting box having an upper cover and a lower cover for receiving a circuit unit between the upper cover and the lower cover, which can prevent the upper cover from approaching the lower cover over a limit when mounting an electric component on the upper cover.
How to Attain the Object
In order to attain the object, an electric connecting box according to the present invention is an electric connecting box, having an upper cover for mounting an electric component thereon and a lower cover being joined to the upper cover for receiving a first circuit unit between the upper cover and the lower cover, and includes a first strut extending from one of the upper cover and the lower cover toward the other of the upper cover and the lower cover, and the first strut limits the upper cover from approaching to the lower cover when the electric component is mounted on the upper cover.
An electric connecting box according to the present invention is an electric connecting box, having an upper cover for mounting an electric component thereon and a lower cover being joined to the upper cover for receiving a first circuit unit between the upper cover and the lower cover, and includes a first strut extending from the lower cover toward the upper cover and a second strut extending from the upper cover toward the lower cover, and the first strut and the second strut both limit the upper cover from approaching to the lower cover when the electric component is mounted on the upper cover.
The electric connecting box according to the present invention is specified in the aforesaid electric connecting box by that a plurality of electric components can be mounted on said upper cover, and the first strut limits a point of the upper cover between at least two of the plurality of electric components from approaching to the lower cover.
The electric connecting box according to the present invention is further specified in the aforesaid electric connecting box by that further includes a middle cover between the upper cover and the lower cover to be joined to the upper cover and the lower cover, and a second circuit unit being disposed between the middle cover and the upper cover and connecting electrically with the electric component, and the first circuit unit is disposed between the middle cover and the lower cover.
According to the electric connecting box mentioned above, the first strut extending from one of the upper cover and the lower cover toward the other of the upper cover and the lower cover prevents the upper cover from approaching the lower cover when the electric component is mounted on the upper cover. When the electric component is mounted on the upper cover, the upper cover can be prevented from deforming so as to make a space between the upper cover and the lower cover narrower. Thus, when the electric component is mounted on the upper cover, the upper cover can be prevented from approaching the lower cover over a limit.
According to the electric connecting box mentioned above, the first strut extending from the lower cover toward the upper cover and the second strut extending from the upper cover toward the lower cover both prevent the upper cover from approaching the lower cover when the electric component is mounted on the upper cover. When the electric component is mounted on the upper cover, the upper cover can be prevented from deforming so as to make a space between the upper cover and the lower cover narrower. Thus, when the electric component is mounted on the upper cover, the upper cover can be prevented from approaching the lower cover over a limit.
According to the electric connecting box mentioned above, the first strut prevents the point of the upper cover between at least two of the plurality of electric components from approaching the lower cover. When the at least two electric components are mounted on the upper cover, the first strut can prevent the upper cover from deforming so as to make a space between the upper cover and the lower cover narrower. Thus, when the electric component is mounted on the upper cover, the upper cover can be prevented from approaching the lower cover over a limit.
According to the electric connecting box mentioned above, the second circuit unit is additionally received between the upper cover and the lower cover. Thereby, the electric connecting box can be applied for multiple circuit systems. The first circuit unit and the second circuit unit may be connected electrically together and may be separated electrically to each other.
The above and other objects and features of this invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.